


Only Human

by parttimefemmefatale (writingramblr)



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 1960's New York, AU season 5, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, Eleventh Doctor Era, Episode AU: s03e08-09 Human Nature/Family of Blood, Episode: s03e08 Human Nature, Episode: s04e10 Midnight, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fobwatch, Fobwatched Doctor, So much angst, Tumblr Prompt, UST, references, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-22
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-13 08:46:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1219969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingramblr/pseuds/parttimefemmefatale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Rose just wanted a relaxing adventure on Midnight's neighboring planet, Daylight.</p><p>What they got was quite different.</p><p>An Alternate look at the idea of a Fobwatched!Doctor, with Rose as his companion. </p><p>This time however, the destination is 1960's New York city, with a twist.</p><p>inspired partly by this tumblr prompt:</p><p>http://belledearie.tumblr.com/post/56478476580/</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The first thing the Doctor noticed upon waking was the comfortable warmth surrounding him.

The second was the fact that said warmth was actually Rose's body, curving gently into his as she slept.

The Doctor’s eyes flew wide open and he was suddenly so very awake. With barely a thought, he leapt out of the bed. He tripped on her shoes and fell backwards, flailing his limbs about like a bug on its back.

Rose woke up much sooner than she would have liked to when she heard the loud thump as the Doctor hit the floor of her bedroom.

"Er…"

The Doctor was rendered speechless at the sight of a sleep rumpled Rose, who looked still halfway in dreamland.

"What's the matter? I heard a loud crash. It almost sounded like the TARDIS collided with something. Is that possible?"

The Doctor looked sheepish, and as he regained his footing he avoided meeting her eyes. He was determined to blame his momentary lapse in judgment on the fact he'd still been healing, and not of sane mind. Not that he was anything but.

"Yes, yes, precisely. I was just about to go investigate. If you'd excuse me please."

The 'please' did nothing to comfort Rose from the fact that she felt as if the Doctor was running away from her. Even if it was just to check on the ship.

She sighed heavily and fell back against the covers, resisting the urge to go after him.

Perhaps he simply needed some space to think. Being in a new body could have made the Doctor a bit frazzled.

She considered herself lucky for managing to get the amount of time with him beside her that she did.

Just because they'd been reunited didn't mean they were about to pick right up where they'd left off.

She wasn't sure if he'd heard what she mumbled before she fell asleep last night. But it didn't matter, because he certainly didn't feel _that_ strongly for her. Did he?

*

As he stumbled down the corridor towards the console room, he pointedly ignored how the TARDIS hummed at him with a tone that resembled annoyance.

“What would you have me do?” He whispered hastily, attempting to ward off any retaliation.

The TARDIS and Rose were much too close for his liking. Even with such a long time apart. He could sense the fondness his ship had for Rose Tyler.

He shrugged in frustration, feeling as if he needed to shed his very skin.

He was still wearing the now too small suit from his last incarnation. He needed to get changed. The wardrobe would have to be his next stop after the console room. He was beginning to wonder if the TARDIS would keep him running in circles and never finding the darn place when he finally reached a familiar door and ripped it open.

He stopped short, barely with a foot in the door.

The TARDIS had been busy while he and Rose had slept.

 

Gone were the coral struts, but an orange glow of light remained, illuminating the center console, which now had a glass flooring, and steps leading to it across a walkway, and across the other side it led down a level.

The Doctor explored the shorter staircase and discovered that he could reach all the wires from below, instead of having to crouch and duck beneath the console undercarriage itself.

A swinging hammock hung off to the side, beneath the glass floor, under another set of steps.

"Is that a message I should be getting? You think I need more rest?"

No reply.

“You’re telling me I’m not allowed to rest near her again?”

The lights blinked in an affirmative manner and seemed to say “Not with that attitude.”

Though the Doctor rolled his eyes, he knew his ship was right. But first, he needed some new clothes, which would at least fit him.

He scaled the stairs and followed the walkway, turning left to find the new wardrobe room.

The clothing was organized by season, and even had a table just for accessories.

"Have you been having fun redecorating while I was unconscious?"

A positive humming answered him. He skipped around the room, trying to feel for what he liked. He didn't know about his sense of style, but something would always jump out at him, different every time.

As he passed the coat rack, he snagged a tweed jacket with a light brown and burgundy pattern. Not the usual order, but he was in no hurry.

He'd never admit it, but he was rather hoping to avoid Rose for a bit. At least until he could decide where the perfect place to take her was.

Dark navy slacks were next, and the Doctor noted gratefully that they went well past his ankles. Then a light coral dress shirt, one that reminded him of the now retired coral struts. Socks and shoes were next, and then he was almost done.

Once he'd finished assembling his items of clothing, the last thing he spotted was a maroon silk bow tie. He shrugged, before slipping it on.

"Not bad. It even looks cool."

He ran a hand through his hair, and it flopped forward into eyes again.

He hummed thoughtfully, and glanced around before seeing the familiar door that led to his bathroom. Perhaps some industrial strength hair tamer could be found there. His last incarnation had used a ton of it, and therefore kept plenty on hand. Surely some would be left.

*

Rose reluctantly got out of bed after an hour of simply dozing. She'd figured out rather quickly that the Doctor wasn't coming back, but hadn't wanted to leave the warmth of the blankets. The fact that she was still fully dressed, and had probably gotten her clothes horribly wrinkled hadn't occurred to her until she'd paused in front of a mirror.

"Oh dear." She whispered to herself. Maybe a visit to the wardrobe was in order. If she could ever find it.

However, her stomach growled just then, and distracted her from her wardrobe woes.

She'd not eaten in nearly an entire day. No wonder.

She'd make a nice cup of tea and some toast, and then worry about clothing.

Even against her bare feet, the floor of the TARDIS felt warm. She knew it was likely on purpose, and she couldn't resist petting the wall as she walked by, before entering the kitchen.

The kettle was already on, and singing.

There was no sign of the Doctor, so she beamed in the general direction of the ceiling.

"Thanks."

A slight flickering of the light over the kitchen table was the only reply.

With her steaming cup of tea in hand, and two pieces of toast browning in the toaster, Rose finally sat down at the table, and watched the doorway for a glimpse of the Doctor. Surely he'd smell the smells of breakfast and need something?

Tea had been just the thing for him after his last regeneration. It was possible this time a bit of tinkering was helping him recover.

Once she’d finished her quick breakfast, and ambled out into the hallway, she was rather uncertain which way to go. Luckily, it seemed the TARDIS was still in a helpful mood, and the lights flickered down a hall to her right. She followed the path down the corridor until she came to an open door. She smiled in delight as she recognized all the racks and different levels of clothing.

“I could easily stay in here all day.”

The humming of the TARDIS engines seemed to suggest she didn’t mind, and Rose let her hands linger a bit on the top of the coat rack in gratitude.

She didn’t feel the need for a jacket, as she was still rather fond of her blue leather one. But it was comforting to see her first doctor’s black leather jacket hanging amongst the others, all of which she didn’t recognize.

Her fingers traced the collar, and she found herself wishing she’d been able to spend more time with him. But no, that was in the past. She was here now, Bad Wolf and all, and by some miracle, the Doctor _still_ liked having her around.

He’d promised she was different. That he wouldn’t just leave and forget about her once her time had passed. But the way he’d acted that morning had confused her.

She strolled around the wardrobe a few times before settling on a simple pair of dark wash jeans, and a lightweight yellow jumper over a lavender tank.

She wandered out of the wardrobe room and was surprised to find her room right across the hall.

“Perfect.” She mumbled. She’d wanted to retrieve her jacket and shoes. Nothing could be more practical than her trainers, and she wondered if the Doctor would let her leave her jacket on the jump seat.

She set all the clothing on her bed, and went to go jump in the shower.

The hot water was soothing on her aching muscles, and she could almost relax completely. She remained in the shower a bit longer than was probably necessary, but it had been a long time since she’d had such a luxury.

Once she’d gotten dressed, combed the tangles out of her hair, and brushed her teeth, she decided it was time to find the Doctor.

He’d had enough time to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although this story is not necessarily a sequel to "New-New-New Doctor" it can be read as directly following. They can both be stand alone, but this is more blatantly referring to it.  
> Also keep an eye out for lots of Who references, and some others. The title is of course also a title of a completely different New Series Adventure who-novel.
> 
> I'm afraid when it comes to titles, I'm not very creative.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor was pacing. He tried to pretend he wasn’t waiting for Rose, but the truth was that he was. Now that she’d actually not been around for half the day, he started to wonder if she’d managed to sneak in a vortex manipulator, maybe inside that blue leather jacket of hers, and she’d jumped home.

It was impossible of course. The walls between universes had been closed tightly after the planets had been returned and the reality bomb destroyed.

But the thought was still in the back of his mind.

However, all doubt and worry was dispelled by the sound of footsteps.

The Doctor spun around to see none other than Rose Tyler stepping timidly into the console room. Her face looked a bit like he imagined his did.

“Hello.”

Rose glanced across the console at him, and gave him a small smile,

“Hello indeed. I like what you’ve done with the place. You work fast.”

The Doctor ducked his head and looked pointedly at the glass floor. He could feel his cheeks heating up, but he hoped she couldn’t see in the dimmer lighting.

“Ah, to be honest, it wasn’t me. All her.”

He reached out to pat the console gently, and Rose didn’t even look surprised.

“I guess the new-new-new Doctor needed a change of scenery.”

That familiar tongue in teeth grin appeared, and the Doctor nearly felt his shoulders sag with relief. It was still her. She wasn’t leaving him. She’d just gotten lost. Maybe. Or perhaps she’d been giving him time to adjust.

“Was that your doing?” He asked the TARDIS, silently. The lights flickered a bit, but he wasn’t sure if she was confessing or just being cheeky.

“So! Rose Tyler, where to? The lost moon of Poosh? Now returned home? Or perhaps the outlying planet of Justica, I hear they’ve remodeled the place, no more of that old fashioned Egyptian nonsense-“

He broke off, as he realized Rose was staring at him.

“What is it?”

“Your new outfit. Is that really going to be your new look? You look like a history professor. Or let me rephrase that. You look like you stole a history professor’s clothing.”

The Doctor pouted,

“You mean you don’t like it?”

Rose shrugged,

“I don’t mind the bow tie, or even the slightly pink shirt, but tweed? Really? The outfit really ages you.”

“I’ll have you know I’m nearly 905, so I hardly mind the age I appear, and for that matter-“

The Doctor had been about to protest that it was more of a coral, and very light for that matter, but he didn’t get a chance. He had just noticed what _she_ was wearing. Throughout their conversation he’d never glanced away from her eyes, and now he saw she was wearing a lovely yellow sweater, and clutching her blue leather jacket in one arm.

Memories flickered over his mind’s eye, of a hospital on New Earth, and he almost could swear he smelled apple grass. His pink and yellow human. She was just so beautiful.

He knew exactly where to take her.

Any arguments about his outfit flew out of his mind, and he moved across the room to grasp her free hand in his, pulling her back towards the console.

“Hold on! I know just the place.”

*

He’d been there before. It had been during the months he’d thought he was healing from losing Rose. He’d been a bit silly. He’d brought Donna to Midnight after days of her complaining that they never went anywhere calm, anywhere exotic _and_ fun.

That hadn’t gone according to plan.

After they’d left, he’d sworn he wouldn’t dare come back, at least until the people who’d colonized the planet, the Leisure Palace Company, had taken their business elsewhere.

They’d only moved a couple planets away, and started a new Palace, on a planet aptly named ‘Daylight.’

Unlike Midnight, it was fully formed and covered with shimmering diamond glaciers. Being as many light years closer to the star the system orbited, Xion, it appeared to be bathed in a white yellow glow.

He couldn’t be too angry with them; at least they’d listened to him, if only to the very technical letter of his wishes.

But now, he was content to just relax and enjoy the spa with Rose.

Unless she decided she didn’t like it.

He ran past where she still stood at the console, and ripped open the TARDIS doors, gesturing outside with a great flourish,

“Rose Tyler, welcome to Daylight!”

Rose, who felt rather bereft when the Doctor had sprung away from her whilst simultaneously dropping her hand, moved a bit slower than she might have otherwise. Just to attempt to exaggerate her slight annoyance.

All pretenses were dropped when she caught a glimpse outside. Her jaw dropped at the utter beauty of the planet.

Even through the protective glass, or maybe they were force field shields, she didn’t know, or care, the surface of the world they’d landed on was breathtaking.

“Wow.”

The Doctor moved to stand beside her, arms lazily at his sides, making no move to encroach on her space. He couldn’t help admiring the look of wonder on her face, and beam at the thought he was responsible.

Maybe, just maybe, this once, they could have a real break.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble? Oh Yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i know this is a bit different from the original HN/FOB episodes, in the changing and switching to human, but this is all my own little spin on things.

Unfortunately, it seemed the universe was decidedly against giving the Doctor and Rose Tyler a break, of any sort.

After only a couple days staying in the Palace, the Doctor had begun to hear voices.

For a psychic being like himself, normally perhaps he’d just have ignored it.

But when they began to say things like, “I smell a time lord.” He knew that they were in trouble then.

The voices began to get closer, and louder.

“He could be the one.”

“He _is_ the one.”

“He killed our friends.”

Of course, aliens with a grudge against him. How utterly typical.

“He must die.”

“So that we can live.”

The Doctor would have rolled his eyes at the predictability of the Mayflies, but this time, he was better prepared.

He’d grabbed Rose’s hand, from where she stood admiring the advertisement for the Anti-Grav restaurant, and began running as quick as possible to where he’d parked the TARDIS.

Before she could utter a single word, to protest or simply ask what was going on, he’d begun dancing around the console room, pulled levers and spinning knobs, all the while muttering something about humans and fob watches.

“What on earth are you going on about?”

The Doctor looked up and her, for the first time in as many minutes and smiled,

“Earth! Precisely where we’re headed. But not London this time, and certainly not the far past. They’ve not seen us, either of us, so we’re safe, relatively speaking. But it’s probably best to switch up the time and place.”

Rose frowned at him, seconds from stamping the floor with her foot in exasperation.

“Would you mind stopping a mo’ and explaining why we had to run away from potentially the most relaxing visit to another world I’ve ever had?”

“Mayflies!”

Rose nodded, and then shook her head.

“I’m lost.”

“Nah, you’ve got it all right here. You’re going to visit a time you’ve never been. How’s three months sound? A three month quiet vacation.”

Rose was on the verge of protesting, for it surely sounded like the Doctor was trying to get rid of her, even if it was somewhere nice.

But when he flipped a switch and a huge contraption began to descend from the ceiling of the TARDIS, she lost track of what she had been about to say.

“What is that?”

The Doctor gave it a quick look, and Rose didn’t miss the wince that flitted over his face before it returned to the strangely calm yet joyful look he’d had,

“Chameleon arch. Completely harmless. It’ll just take a second to come online, and in the meanwhile, I need you to go get changed. Ask for 1960’s, early years duds. Now hurry along!”

The flippant way in which he spoke before ordering her about was enough to drive her mad. If he wanted to be left alone, fine. She was sorely in need of a cup of tea anyhow.

“If that’s what you want. Not in the mood to explain a single blasted thing. Alright. Good.”

The second Rose had disappeared from the console room; the Doctor turned on the recorder, and faced the display screen on the side of the Arch. It would record his message and save it in the TARDIS’s mainframe, where only Rose could activate and watch it. He flipped the switch and began speaking to the camera.

“Now I know you’ll have questions, but the most important thing to remember is this, we can’t let them find us. Me, I know they need. But if anything ever happened to you, and I couldn’t stop it, or didn’t know about it, in my state, I wouldn’t know how to live with myself. So please listen Rose. That’s all I ask.”

***

He’d lied to her of course.

She’d gone off to get tea and when she’d come back, there was the Doctor, standing under that, that thing! He was clearly in severe agony, and when she’d tried to come close, to free him from it, he’d waved her back.

When it finally stopped, when the machine retreated, he’d fallen to the ground.

She’d feared for his head, for such a thump it had made on the glass floor, but there had been no blood.

She had done as he’d asked, though it had been a strange request, and was currently wearing a long sleeved dark green wool dress, that fell just above her knees. It had been hanging right in the front as she’d approached the wardrobe room. She’d put on black flats, just in case there would need to be more running, but it was made very clear that was out of the question.

A plain black suit with a skinny black tie had been hanging beside it, and she’d assumed that would be for the Doctor, but how on earth he’d come to the decision to finally change to match the time and date of where they would visit she would never know.

However, finding him unconscious was not her idea of a fun way to start a trip.

She leaned against the console, attempting to calm her thoughts and figure out just what she should do, when her hand brushed over a switch, and a hologram popped up.

She was so startled she nearly fell backwards.

It was the Doctor of course, and he was wearing the same clothing in it as he was in this moment.

He began speaking to her, asking her above all else to listen, and she decided to do as he asked. Just this once.

He explained what had needed to be done, and why they would need to hide out for three months.

“You couldn’t tell me this before you went and micro-waved yourself, now could you?”

The hologram seemed to sense what she was going to say, and he almost looked apologetic.

“You would have tried to stop me. Though I shouldn’t have stopped, the fact is, I actually just might have. I couldn’t risk that. I couldn’t risk your safety. Now please, watch over me Rose. Forgive me for this.”

She frowned,

“Forgive you for what?”

The Doctor began to stir on the floor beside her feet, and she jumped. She’d almost forgotten about him. If what the recording had said was true, then she needed to help him out of the TARDIS before he fully regained consciousness.

He wouldn’t know what to make of the ship in his state.

His fully human state.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this is where you have to bear with me. It gets pretty character study-y and maybe a bit fluffy. and the year is 1963, i did my homework! there will be important events....  
> and so the free love sort of thing was basically a plot device. heh.

Rose discovered just why the Doctor had deemed it necessary to apologize to her the moment she stepped outside and discovered where they were.

It was indeed 1960’s New York, and nighttime. It was a darkened alleyway, but with the appearance of the TARDIS, it was the perfect hiding spot. She seemed to recall the Doctor once saying it was a 1963 London police box, so perhaps they had finally returned to a time where it would blend in.

Barring the fact that it was the other side of the ocean, Rose thought with dismay.

She wondered if the Doctor would have an American accent, or still sound decidedly British.

She didn’t have to wonder very long, for she could hear him mumbling under his breath, and she turned to find him leaning heavily against the brick wall of the building, where she’d left him briefly to look around their surroundings.

“Feeling alright?” She asked kindly, still uncertain just who she was to him in this form.

He looked up at her, and his vision seemed to clear rapidly.

“Rose! Oh no what have I done? I’ve tried to give you a nice night out for our one year anniversary and I’ve gone and drank too much. I can’t even remember how I got here. Where’s my camera bag? Did I drop it somewhere?”

Rose gulped, and shook her head, holding up the large bag that had been sitting beside the Doctor’s prone form.

She’d quickly discovered it was much like the TARDIS, bigger on the inside, and she endeavored to keep the Doctor, in his human form, from ever holding it. Inside was so much more than his photography tools, but also the sonic screwdriver, psychic paper, and the watch containing the Doctor’s essence. Or at least, as well as she could understand it.

In the message, he’d told her that it had a perception filter on it, so even if she did leave it lying around by accident, he’d pay no attention to it.

“Nope. No worries. I have all your stuff.”

The smile of relief and gratitude that spread across the Doctor’s face almost made Rose’s heart break. He never looked like that. Or at least, not often enough. Completely relaxed and at ease with himself and the world.

“Thank you so much. What would I do without you?”

Rose shrugged, before stepping towards him, allowing him to take her arm,

“’m not sure. I think the universe might collapse if you tried anything.”

He gave her a funny look, but it quickly returned to his earlier almost lovesick expression.

“Let’s go home shall we?”

Rose blinked rapidly, before remembering she had the psychic paper. Home for now would have to be a hotel, and then she would work out getting a loft for them both.

“Oh don’t worry about that. I ah, booked us a room for the night.”

The Doctor beamed at her,

“Why you are just too good for me. I can’t believe I forgot that. Promise you won’t be angry?”

Rose looked a bit wary, but nodded,

“I think I’d just like to go to sleep. Whatever I had didn’t agree with me. After I sleep it off, I swear I’ll make it up to you.”

Rose smiled tightly,

“You don’t need to stress about that. Rest all you want.”

Once they’d arrived at a hotel room, that Rose had procured much easier than she could have dreamt, she left the Doctor alone, having helped him into the single queen sized bed, and headed for the bathroom to try and catch her breath.

“Anniversary? Oh Doctor, you have got some serious explaining to do when these three months are up.”

***

It seemed that Rose and the Doctor were now Matthew and Rose Tyler. For some reason he’d let her keep her name, and taken it upon himself. A very modern and strangely matriarchal thing to do. However, in the spirit of free love, though they lived together, they had not officially tied the knot. It seemed that though the Doctor’s business was decent, he had not yet purchased a ring for her. She hadn’t bothered to ask about that, she’d simply deduced it on her own.

She’d only rolled her eyes at that once, before moving on to the next tidbit of information about her new temporary life.

The Doctor, or as he was to be called, ‘Matthew,’ enjoyed photography. It was once just his hobby, but after meeting her, she’d become his muse. His business had expanded from more than just weddings and graduations. Though he was usually quite busy, he’d insisted on taking a leaf of absence to celebrate their anniversary.

Excellent planning on his part, she had thought to herself.

According to Matthew, they’d been living in New York for only six months, and during that time he thought they lived in a teeny tiny flat on the East side, somewhere Rose knew in modern times she’d never be able to dream of affording. Even with the psychic paper she felt slightly guilty. It wouldn’t hurt him to know in reality they’d only been there a week.

She couldn’t deny it was darn useful though.

After the first month of living with Matthew, Rose was beginning to rather enjoy this illusion of domestic life.

Sure it was only that, an illusion, but the fact was it was nice to not have to be thrust into danger at every turn. Other than the fact they were hiding from a family that was on a mission to consume the Doctor simply to live forever.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *edit 3/6/14 Gifset found!
> 
> http://beautyandthetimelord.tumblr.com/post/44430321379
> 
> (most of this chapter was inspired by a gifset i saw on tumblr, but couldn't find again! if anyone knows of it, please link me and i will happily refer it in my notes!)

Rose had reluctantly pulled herself out of bed at the ungodly hour of ‘It’s still dark outside.’ The last few weeks had been utter torture, but she was slowly becoming numb, of a sort. At least she had one saving grace, no matter what Matthew thought their relationship was, he never tried to sleep naked. Or cuddle her until she fell asleep. She had a hard enough time keeping her hands off him, if he’d been prone to cuddling, she wasn’t sure what she would do.

For breakfast, since she was making the effort to cook, she had made the decision to cause a bit of mischief.

She was stirring the pancake batter, waiting for the pan to heat up, when she heard the bathroom door slam.

So Matthew was finally out of the shower, but Rose had only gotten the coffee brewed and the table set. She worried her bottom lip as she began to pour the batter into the pan. As she thanked her lucky stars that the TARDIS had provided a small booklet of approved Doctor recipes. Since the Doctor couldn’t cook for all the stars in the universe, no lucky ones for him, she had to make sure they didn’t starve.

The only change she was going to make to the recipe was to use canned pear syrup instead of a typical maple flavor.

It was immature maybe, and completely wrong, but Rose was determined to see how far she could push the ‘all human’ thing. Would Matthew even notice?

She had begun to dish out the finished pancakes, miraculously not too dark, golden brown, with crisp edges, when she heard Matthew approaching the kitchen. She turned to smile at him, and nearly dropped the pan. Thankfully it was empty, but it still dangled from her loosened grip.

Matthew was clad in only a towel, which was slung low on his hips, revealing more skin than Rose had ever seen. His hair was still wet, falling over his forehead in the way that so reminded her of her previous Doctor.

She swallowed thickly, and her smile wavered,

“Good morning.”

Matthew glanced over at her, distracted from his mission of heading to the coffee machine, and he beamed at her, all flushed skin from the heat of the shower, and bright eyes,

“Good morning! What are you doing? Cooking me breakfast? You are an angel. How did I get so lucky?”

He snuck up on her when she looked away from him, having been staring at his bare chest for way longer than was permissible, even if he was her live-in-sin boyfriend.

“Well, I-“ She was cut off by his lips meeting hers, and she fought every instinct in her body to keep from melting against him. He was naked except for a towel for heaven’s sake!

“I can’t wait to try them.”

He eyed the pancakes, but his eyes returned to her lips almost instantly.

Rose giggled despite herself, and shoved him away playfully.

“They’re ready, I just need to add the final touch.”

Rose kept one eye on him, and the other on the pitcher of syrup as she brought it over from the stove to rest it on the table, between their plates of pancakes. She took a large sip of her coffee, wincing from the bitterness, and she watched as Matthew poured a bit of syrup on his pancakes, and took his first bite.

He looked thoughtful as he chewed, and once he had finished one whole cake, she gave him a nervous smile.

“What do you think?”

Matthew took a sip of coffee, in that way that told Rose he was cleansing his palate, and patted her on the arm,

“They are delicious. I had no idea you could cook so well, you’ve been holding out on me Rose. But there’s something missing…maybe whipped cream?”

Rose giggled again, this time completely relaxed,

“Oh Matty, then they wouldn’t be a very healthy way to start the day.”

The endearment slipped out almost unconsciously, and Rose could have bit her tongue. Until she noticed how Matthew’s face took on an almost awed look.

“Rose, I don’t care what I eat. I just want to start my day with you. Besides, it’s a weekend. Normal eating rules go out the window.”

He reached over and took her hand, absentmindedly stroking the back of it with his thumb, and Rose could feel a shiver go down her spine.

The amount of love that he showed her was impossible. She almost felt spoiled.

How difficult would it be to give all of that up?

***

The second month passed almost as quickly, but Rose was beginning to find it harder and harder to avoid any sort of severe displays of affection with the Doctor…no, Matthew.

She knew they were a young couple, supposed to be besotted with each other, but she just didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of doing anything like _that_ with the Doctor, especially since it wasn’t the Doctor. She didn’t mind the occasional kiss, or even the near constant hand holding when walking the streets, but anything more?

It felt rather like cheating.

Ridiculous perhaps.

When he would wake her up with a gentle brush of his hand over her cheek, whispering sweet nothings in her ears, it was more difficult to resist jumping him. She would never have thought she’d wish for torture, but anything would be better than this.

Bad enough they had to share a mattress together, even worse that it didn’t even have a box frame. They slept on the floor in the middle of a wide open space possibly meant to be the living room. Rose could admit, to herself, never aloud, that she enjoyed waking up snuggled beside the Doctor; usually from the warm sun shining through the windows that she endeavored to purchase curtains for.

He’d started to trying to catch her unawares, snapping a few photos of her, all in the name of keeping his skill in practice, before swooping in to embrace her and kiss her breathless.

She’d pull away, making excuses, like they needed more milk, or bananas, or pears.

That one always worked.

He’d pull a face and declare them the stuff of nightmares.

She ought to know. She’d pointedly ignored the rules he’d made on the hologram about not forcing anything she knew he disliked on him.

Especially pears.

She’d never told him what had been in that syrup on the pancakes he’d loved so much. All was fair in love and war. Especially when love was war.

He’d never said anything about domestics.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> long chap to make up for my absence...apologies!  
> and references to human nature ep.

With two weeks left of their stay in the city, Matthew called Rose in the middle of the afternoon, asking her to meet him at an address that sounded remotely familiar.

Rose looked it up on her mobile, the specially enhanced model the Doctor had given her before leaving her in the parallel world, she thought with a tinge of bitterness, and discovered it was the location of the most famous landmark.

The Empire State building.

All the time they’d been staying in the heart of New York, and they’d never once been out and about to do anything tourists did.

The Doctor fancied himself always a tourist, and never a native, but this one time, he’d been the exact reverse, and thus unable to act on that impulse.

Until now it seemed.

In the last few days, Matthew had been confiding in Rose the strange dreams he’d been having.

Dreams in which he was a magnificent man, no not a man, an _alien_ , who flew around the universe in a blue police box, sometimes alone, but never for long, called ‘The Doctor.’ He’d changed his face many times, but he’d always remained the same inside.

Matthew showed her scribbles in his notebook, which he usually used to hold photo shoot ideas, and the occasional shopping list, and Rose was surprised to see illustrations of past Doctors, including her first Doctor and then the most recent incarnation. She was in there as well, along with sketches of Jack, Martha, Donna, and others she didn’t recognize.

The small roughly shaded drawing of a Dalek made her shiver, and Matthew had mistaken it for disinterest. He’d only just begun to expand on the fantastical enemies ‘the Doctor’ faced, and the adventures he stumbled upon.

Though she’d assured him she loved hearing about his wild dreams and stories, he’d grown rather quiet and withdrawn about them after that.

This surprising and impromptu meeting gave her heart a lift.

Rose was unsure about why so many of the Doctor’s memories would be leaking through into his human self, but she decided it was probably since time was beginning to run out.

Scarcely more than a dozen days remained, and then she and the Doctor would be back on their way, flying among the stars.

***

Rose spotted Matthew a few yards before he saw her. He was wearing his usual laid back suit and tie, and his hair had already begun to escape its confinement of strong gel.

The few strands that fell across his forehead, he reached up to brush away, and that was when he saw her, and he gave her a small wave, with a smaller smile to match.

Almost three months of living together, over a year in his mind and he still acted shy around her. Even in the littlest of ways.

Rose’s heart raced and she tried to catch her breath as she walked up to him, feeling the love and adoration in his eyes so tangible it washed over her.

“Hello.”

He reached out to take her hand, lacing his fingers into hers,

“Hello! Well, what do you think? Pretty impressive?”

Rose laughed, and she was taken back to the first trip she took, with her first Doctor,

“Yep. It is impressive. How come you wanted to meet me here?”

She had a small inkling in her mind, but her logical mind was trying to ignore what her aching heart wanted.

He shrugged, before walking with her inside,

“No big reason. I just thought, what can be more authentically New York than the Empire State building?”

“Central Park?”

Matthew ducked his head and grinned at the floor,

“Well yes. Besides that. I thought this would have a better view.”

He dragged her to the elevator and punched the button for the top floor, grinning all the way.

Rose fought the urge to giggle, and did her best to remain standing still. For some reason, his cheerful demeanor always rubbed off on her, but she kept her feet firmly on the ground. As if afraid to enjoy herself too much, to dare to hope that after this was all over, her Doctor might remember some or all of this.

The long line of people on their way up to the top simply meant she had more time to spend holding his hand, and fervently wishing for their adventures to continue in this style, even when they’d returned to normal.

Like the easy way they got along. How the feelings between them went _so_ much deeper than that of just friends, companions to one another.

When they reached the top, Matthew was pulling on her arm, looking for the entire world like an excited child at the top for the first time. Technically half of that was true, but Rose couldn’t stop smiling the whole way either.

Something like nervous energy was pulsing through her veins, and maybe it was the height, or simply the fact she was finally getting to experience an adventure, something new with the Doctor, even if he didn’t know it.

“This is incredible! I can see our apartment from here.”

Matthew nearly shouted, and Rose had to tug on his arm to remind him she was right there.

“Okay, show me where.”

He pointed off in a direction she vaguely recognized, but she couldn’t tell one building from the next. It seemed even as a human, the Doctor was still the best observer of the two of them.

“Look through here!” He dragged her over to one of the observatory points, and she stood in front of the large binoculars, peering through to attempt to find the building he’d been pointing to.

The view was blurry, until she heard the clicking as Matthew input a dime. Then she suddenly could see!

Before she could look too long, her view was obscured by something, it looked shiny, and reflected off the sunlight into her eyes.

She pulled away and looked over to see Matthew holding a ring! It was a warm gold color, and had twin diamonds in the center; they’d been catching the light and nearly blinded her.

“Oh my god…” She whispered, hardly daring to believe her dream had come true.

He looked very shy, and slowly dropped to one knee, ignoring the sound of gasps starting up around them.

“Rose Tyler, I can’t wait to give you my forever. Will you grant me yours in return?”

Rose brought her hands to her mouth, unable to still comprehend this was happening, and as she blinked back tears, and the wind stung her eyes, she came back to reality.

This wasn’t the Doctor. _He_ couldn’t come up with phrases that nearly sang and danced of his adoration and admiration for her. _He_ didn’t even know how he felt for her.

This was merely a man who looked like him.

Matthew was just a human.

But he loved her.

He said it almost every day.

She found herself nodding and murmuring “Yes,” over a dozen times, and he got to his feet, moving to sweep her into his arms, his embrace holding her close long after the crowd had moved away and quieted.

“Oh Matthew…” She whispered into his ear, and she felt him grin against her cheek,

“You know you don’t say my name nearly enough. Sometimes I wonder if you’ve forgotten it.”

Rose smiled and turned away, so he couldn’t see the sadness leaking into it.

“How could I forget the name of the man I love?”

“Ah, there it is. I knew I was forgetting something. I love you Rose Tyler. I can’t wait to start forever with you.”

Rose fought back tears again, this time in danger of breaking down and never stopping, and she wove her arm through his,

“Take us home then Matty. Away from all these people and the noise. I just want you.”

The pet nickname slipped out almost unconsciously, and Rose was glad he didn’t seem to mind it.

It seemed that nothing she could have said would have made him happier, and even as she saw his love for her in his eyes, she couldn’t help but feel her heart break.

Now there would be no going back.

No returning to how things were.

When Matthew’s time was up, she couldn’t think of how she was going to talk to the Doctor about this. About what they’d been through. At least, what _she_ had been through. In a sense, she was in it all alone. That was the most discomforting notion of all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you spot the reference to Oblivion?  
> heheh...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose finally gives in to her feelings...

“So Rose, I was thinking we could head over to your folks for Christmas _this_ year, what do you say?”

Matthew gave her a goofy grin, and she would have gone along with it, but her thoughts flew immediately to Jackie and Pete, and little Tony who’d now be growing up without knowing his big sister. The family she’d never see again.

Evidently she didn’t change her expression fast enough, and Matthew caught the slip of her well crafted mask.

“Oh no angel, what is it?”

Rose smiled at him, false cheeriness in her voice as she answered,

“Nothing, nothing at all. That sounds wonderful. I’ll just give them a call later tonight shall I?”

Matthew stepped in front of her as she tried to slip by him, bent on going to the bathroom, to hide out and away from him. He was too happy, and she had no intention to spoil it with her tragic reality. He wouldn’t be able to make sense of it anyway.

“Wait. Please. You’re always running from me. Even now. I can see it in your eyes. It’s not just my dreams and silly stories. There’s something else. Something’s wrong.”

Rose let him lift a hand to stroke her cheek, gently turning her chin to face him, and she stopped pretending. She could do that. Just for a little bit. In the end, she only could twist the truth.

“I guess I’m just not sure how to tell them.”

She gave a nervous sort of laugh, and watched his worry melt away into understanding.

“Is that what’s bothering you? The fact they might not approve? Why? Because you ran away with me, crossed the ocean with me to come to a big city, where we knew nobody. All because I had a dream. You helped it become reality. When I first saw you, it was like the sun breaking through the dark skies after a storm. You are my love, my guiding light. We’ve already been ‘living in sin’ for over a year. I hardly think this will make them like me less. My finally making you an honest woman.”

He brushed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears, which had begun to fall freely as she listened to him talk.

He had such a way with words, even if he still was as clumsy as a newborn fawn.

“You really think so?” She asked, her voice hardly an audible octave above silence, and he nodded.

“How could I think anything else?”

Rose gave him a halfhearted shrug, and he enveloped her in his arms again.

She didn’t move to hug him back, nor did she try to pull away. She let him hold her, and tried to relax into his embrace.

“Oh Rose, my Rose. Why won’t you let me love you? I’ve wanted to touch you so badly all day. You know it’s been weeks since we’ve made love. Couldn’t we now, tonight … can’t we celebrate this? Celebrate us?”

Rose became still as stone under his hands, and he pulled away to look at her, his face full of confusion and hurt.

She was practically shaking from the frustration of resisting him, and how much she wanted him. It was horribly wrong of her, selfish even. She wanted to give in, but she’d made it this far, to give up now would be foolish.

“I’m sorry Matty, but I’m tired. I really do need to phone mum and dad and-“

A hand on her arm, gentle but insisting stopped her mid stride.

“Please Rose. Please let me love you.”

Rose swallowed hard, and before meeting the pleading look in his green eyes head on, threw caution to the winds. She finally nodded, her resolve having begun to crumble more and more with every inch that he grew closer. Her eyes eagerly drank him in, pupils dilating with her growing desire. The moment when he finally leaned down and captured her lips with his, she let her eyes fall shut, and she could still pretend it was only a dream.

The kiss deepened, and intensified as his hands roamed over her back and traced her sides, feeling for the edges of her dress. Once he finally touched her bare skin, she lost all pretenses, and moaned into his mouth.

He smiled against her lips, and began walking them backwards, towards the bedroom.

“How I’ve missed that sound.” Matthew mumbled, pulling back only to lift off her dress, and toss it hurriedly aside.

Rose, for her part, was decidedly back on track, and actively working to undress him about as fast as she could.

So many weeks of torture were finally coming to an end, so why shouldn’t she have one night to remember, while the Doctor could forget?

The black tie was the last thing she discarded from her fiancée, and with it went her every worry.

Comfort could only be found in Matthew’s arms.

At least for that night.

***

The next morning, Rose eagerly snuggled into Matthew’s embrace, feeling his arms tighten around her, even as he still slept. She smiled against his bare chest, and couldn’t resist planting a kiss just beside his heart.

Heart _singular_.

It was strange, how she was still getting used to that, still after all this time.

The morning sunshine was brighter than normal, and when Rose turned to check the time, she started as she realized it was well after lunchtime.

“I hope you didn’t have any important assignments today.”

She tried not to speak very loudly, wanting to let him doze as long as he could, but the sudden ringing of their phone woke them both up completely.

“Good lord, who on earth could that be?”

Rose squinted at the black receiver, eyeing it like it was a hostile alien.

Matthew sat up, rubbing his face groggily, and wincing as it rang again.

“Perhaps it’s a new client who doesn’t read too well.”

He reluctantly pulled himself out of bed and moved to pick it up, halting the third ring.

Rose gazed sleepily at his nude form, appreciating it much more than she would ever dare say, and half listened to his side of the conversation.

“What?”

Her ears almost literally pricked up. He’d never sounded like the Doctor so much as he did with that one word.

“Rose, quick, go switch on the telly!”

They’d only managed to get a hold of a TV within the last month, and Rose wondered if it was such a good idea in the first place. Seeing anything that happened in the past and being unable to change it could be extremely depressing. It was set up on top of the kitchen table, a room away from where Matthew sat on the phone.

Unfortunately it was only about to get worse.

She’d not been paying close attention to the date, as the days had rolled by.

She glanced at the calendar on the wall and stifled a gasp. It was November 22nd, 1963.

The blaring newscaster on the tiny TV screen only confirmed what she’d feared.

JFK had just been assassinated, and she and the Doctor had missed it.

Whoever had called him was clearly explaining what he wasn’t able to watch with her.

Rose gulped, and then clamped down her emotions. She’d need to vent about this later, but it would be entirely unfair to do it with Matthew.

All she could do now was sit and stare at the horrific news on the screen.

Their adopted nation had just lost its leader, and suddenly the exciting news of their engagement took a backseat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> historical events being mentioned! yay. it's important to the story in a way...i promise.


	8. Chapter 8

An uneventful two weeks passed, and it was with a heavy heart and a somber mood that Rose finally explained everything to Matthew.

The hurt in his eyes was heartbreaking, in more ways than one, for she knew she was saying goodbye to him as much as he was to her.

He just had the luxury of forgetting it, while she would never lose the memory of the past three months. She still wasn’t sure she really wanted to, if given the choice.

“Here, this is you. Everything you are.”

Rose held out the pocket watch, and Matthew looked at it, with a furrowed brow, as if seeing it for the first time. Then she realized he _was_ , and any other time, if she’d not drawn his attention to it, it might have remained invisible.

“What? That’s just a watch. How can _that_ be me?”

“Like I said, all you have to do is open it. Then you’ll be back.”

They stood at the front of the alleyway, down which the TARDIS still sat, slightly damp from the last few days of thunderstorms.

Rose clutched the Doctor’s bag in her left hand, and still held the watch in her right.

She waved it slightly towards him, and her eyes begged him to take it.

“But-“

Rose squeezed her eyes shut, and shook her head,

“No please. Don’t argue. It has to happen. Our time is over. It’s time for the Doctor to come back.”

Tears were shining in Matthew’s eyes, and when she chanced a look at him, she nearly dropped the watch.

“But why? Why should I? From what I can tell, he doesn’t love you, not like I do. He can’t possibly. I don’t want to leave you. I _love_ you. Don’t you care about that? I’d be lost without you.”

Rose smiled a watery smile, and shrugged,

“I know it’s hard. It doesn’t make sense. And you’re right. He’s not in, he doesn’t love me, he’s just…oh Matthew he’s wonderful. He’s like fire and ice and the heart of a storm. He’s terribly clever and sometimes incredibly thick. But he’s needed. The universe wouldn’t last long without him. I need him. I love you, and I always will. But you aren’t real. He is. And I’m all he’s got. I know you asked for forever, but I’d already promised him that. The only reason I could do the same for you, is because he _is_ you. Maybe.”

Matthew’s green eyes filled with tears, and he reached up to cup Rose’s cheek, forcing her to look at him,

“He sounds half mad. But what I can’t get is that all this time he’s been with you, how could he not love you?”

She couldn’t give him an answer. His face hardened, and he seemed to become resolved with her decision,

“If that’s what you really want. Who am I to keep the universe in constant peril?”

A sad smile crossed his face, before the hurt expression returned full force.

His hand brushed over hers, still gentle, always with her, and he plucked the watch from her fingers.

He paused only a moment, before flicking it open.

The slight whispering Rose had heard from it over the last few days, from deep inside the bag, telling her it was nearly time, and then how he was ready to return began to grow in volume, until they were as loud as a gale force wind.

Golden light surrounded Matthew, and it almost looked like the Doctor’s regeneration energy had. His body was engulfed with the brightness, but Rose was able to keep her stance firm, and she watched as the light faded slowly, leaving the Doctor standing still for a moment in the alleyway.

The newly arrived Doctor looked around quickly, before clapping abruptly.

“Well! That’s that! Lovely. New York, New York. The original. The best is always the original. Never thought I’d come here during the swinging 60’s, that’s for certain. Well, Rose Tyler, I reckon we’d better be off. The TARDIS is practically yelling at me. Psychic connection you know.”

He tapped the side of his forehead, and she managed a half smile.

He noticed she was being weighed down by his bag, and quickly slipped it out of her grasp and tossed it over his shoulder,

“Come along now. Lots to do. Re-Organization and all that stuff.” In his case, he meant it literally. He had to become accustomed to having two hearts again, and the delightful fact that he could once again see all of time, or at least, what he could travel in. He’d quite missed that part of his mind whilst being human.

Rose nodded, before following him into the TARDIS.

She didn’t spare New York a backwards glance. Everything she’d come to know and love about it had disappeared with Matthew Tyler.

The cold metal of her engagement ring on her finger was the only solid proof that any of it had happened.

The next black hole they came to, she’d happily chuck the thing out the front doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hated having to say goodbye to Matthew.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything finally comes to a head...

The Doctor quickly got the TARDIS back up to full power, and navigated them into the time vortex without a second thought.

He’d noticed how strangely Rose had been acting, and tried to pass it off as simply retroactive readjusting.

He had no clue exactly what sort of nuisance he’d been, perhaps she was so relieved to have him back, and be rid of his human personality she was beyond words.

He stood at the controls and absentmindedly flicked back through his memories from the last three months. They weren’t very hard to find, but he’d filed them away into the background as soon as he’d opened the watch. They played along rather like a film strip, from most recent to the earliest.

The sound of Rose’s footsteps over the glass floor, most likely heading to her room faded into background noise as he observed everything.

His hands froze on the controls as he watched himself kissing Rose, embracing her, touching her, doing things he never imagined would leave the confines of his overactive mind.

He gulped and his hands slipped. The TARDIS lurched around, and he quickly resumed his hold.

Then he watched as he got down on one knee, in front of plenty of complete strangers, and spouted poetry, proposing to Rose on top of the Empire State building.

He saw her dancing around him for the first month and a half, and then finally noticed how her armor seemed to wear thin, just before he’d asked her to meet him.

He blushed bright red under the green lights of the TARDIS as he watched himself prance around half naked in the kitchen, enjoying the breakfast Rose made during those early days. Had she used pears in the syrup?

Then he saw time and time again how she’d tried so hard to hide the fact she was struggling with her feelings for him as Matthew.

The Doctor yanked himself back to the present, out of his memories and reached a hand up to discover he’d been crying.

As he’d relived his time as Matthew Tyler, he’d become emotionally compromised.

How come it was always her?

This tiny human, his pink and yellow girl, his bad wolf.

She was truly a unique individual.

He’d not programmed the TARDIS to make his human persona love her; he’d simply aimed for someone she could easily get along with, someone she could learn to live with. Just temporarily.

What had his ship done?

She’d gone and made him the ideal man for Rose Tyler.

This was not good.

This was bad.

Worse than bad.

He knew he would have some serious explaining to do, and some heavy apologies to make.

Angry footsteps approached him, and he whirled around to face his companion.

***

Rose, who’d at first decided to leave him alone and give him space to figure out everything, had grown bloody tired of pacing the corridors.

She pulled back her hand and slapped him clear across the face.

That was the first time she’d ever struck him, in this form or any other. She regretted it almost instantly.

Slaps dealt out by Tyler women were not the most comfortable thing in the world, this the Doctor knew all too well.

His hand rose to his face almost immediately, and he clutched his burning cheek.

“What was that for?”

Rose smiled, but it was a dangerous smile.

“I think you know _damn_ well what for.”

The Doctor shrugged,

“Program glitch?”

Rose shook her head, hot tears streaming down her cheeks,

“I don’t think so. Try again.”

The Doctor was flabbergasted. He was out of excuses. In fact, he wasn’t sure where to begin with his apologies.

“Alright fine. Want to avoid that subject? Great. Okay then, tell me this, why couldn’t we go back and stop that? Save the president, or anything? Why couldn’t that have been our adventure? Why did it have to be _playing house_?”

Rose never shouted at him, never yelled. But her calm was being threatened severely, and the Doctor would have been wise to take note.

The Doctor inhaled swiftly, he knew she wouldn’t like the answer.

“I’m sorry. It’s a fixed point. I couldn’t change it even if I wanted to.”

Rose rolled her eyes, and stalked away from him, moving down and over the staircase that led to her room.

“That’s always the excuse isn’t it? ‘It’s a fixed point.’ Bad Wolf Bay, Titanic, let me guess, World War II? Or is that just what you say when you have to let people die?”

She was shaking, she was so angry. Angry, upset, and hurt.

But she wasn’t the only one.

***

The Doctor suddenly found himself growing emotionally distressed in the opposite way he’d been moments beforehand. Was she really going into this with him now? He’d been on the verge of begging her forgiveness, but now she was accusing him of, of being as good as a killer?

“I’m sorry Rose, but sometimes you can’t save everyone! That’s not how it works. Don’t you think I’ve tried? But I can’t. I wish I could. Truly.”

Rose felt all the fight drain out of her. She collapsed against the side of the console, exhaustion replacing anger. She knew what he must be thinking of. All his people. That he couldn’t save.

She only felt the loss of her father, but he’d lost his entire world.

The Doctor walked, as if in a dream, down the steps to sit in the hammock below the console.

His eyes didn’t focus on anything; the room was a big orange and green blur.

“I’m sorry Doctor. I didn’t mean it.” Her voice was a whisper, a sound as soft as the engine rotors to his ears.

She followed him down below the glass flooring, slowly and carefully. If he decided to tell her to leave that instant, she wouldn’t blame him. She wouldn’t like it either, but she wouldn’t argue.

“Oh Rose, I know. I just, sometimes, I just feel so helpless.”

He closed his eyes and fell back against the ropes, letting the hammock hold him like he knew Rose wouldn’t dare.

Whether because he was too stubborn, or because she was just a tad more, he was proven wrong.

Rose moved over to where he lay, swinging slightly, and knelt beside him, taking his hand in her own.

“You don’t have to. At least, not by yourself.”

The Doctor tightened his grip on her hand, and sat up, just enough to look at her,

“I never managed to say it, but thank you. Thank you for taking care of me. I must have been a royal pain.”

Rose was surprised; did he really not remember his time as Matthew Tyler? How it had been such a different sort of pain to watch over him, sleep beside him, and let herself love him?

She shrugged, and gave him a small smile,

“Nah. But you did snore an awful lot. I think I only slept about once a week.”

The Doctor chuckled, and Rose felt herself relax just a bit at the sound,

“Now you remember, I told you, if you try to see who will last longer without sleep, you’ll lose.”

Rose grinned,

“Silly me. I forgot all about that. I guess you’re right. Maybe I should try to catch up on my sleep then.”

The Doctor nodded,

“I think you’ve definitely earned it. Go on, go get some rest. I’ll try to keep out of trouble until you’re back to one hundred percent.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Mostly.”

***

What happened after that was a bit of a haze to Rose, as she subsequently fell forward into his arms, dead tired and out like a light.

Even if what she’d said had been an exaggeration, she most certainly was as fragile as he remembered.

The Doctor rose up from the floor, a sleeping Rose Tyler in his arms, and carried her swiftly to her room. He set her down atop her covers gently, and stood back, observing her for a moment.

She looked so different like this. So much younger, and more peaceful. The two years she’d spent away from him, fighting to find him vanished when she was asleep.

He leaned down, brushed her blond hair out of her face, and kissed her on the forehead.

“Goodnight my angel. I seriously intend on holding you to your promise.”

His eyes flickered down to her left hand, and the ring that still rested on her finger. He’d chosen it on a spur of the moment trip to Tiffany’s, and though it didn’t mean anything to Rose now that things were back to normal, he still hoped she’d treasure it.

For atop the gold band that encircled her finger, a set of two identical diamonds sparkled, representing his two hearts, which were hers, now and forever.


	10. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a sweet little interlude i wrote after i thought this story was done...

_A month of traveling later…_

 

"Do you know what Doctor?"

"No. What?" With his usual cheeky grin in place, the Doctor looked over at his lovely companion Rose, who was perched on the newly remodeled jump seat, that resembled a bar stool more than anything.

Rose sighed impatiently,

"Is that the best reply you can think of? What I was going to say was, we don't take enough time to appreciate the calm and quiet moments we have, between the running, the ducking and dodging."

She stepped towards him and took his hand, slowly leading him out of the console room, down an unfamiliar corridor.

The Doctor frowned, and was about to protest, but then Rose pushed a door open and led him inside.

He wasn't often surprised by the TARDIS anymore, and he fancied himself rather an expert on the old girl. But the room Rose had found was like stepping out into a vast meadow, but it was pitch black, and a clear night, with millions of stars visible.

There was a blanket spread across the dark grass in front of them, and Rose tugged on his hand, so he followed obediently.

"Lie back and tell me what you see."

The Doctor grinned, he would be able to name every star if she asked.

"Ah right there is Europa, running slightly behind Titan, and over there is-"

Rose sighed and nudged him in the side.

"That's not what I meant. Can you hear the music?"

The Doctor concentrated, and suddenly he could. It was a tinny sound, as if playing out of an old speaker, from the 40's era.

"Could you stay here? Could you just lay here? Will you lie with me and just forget the world?"

Rose hummed and sung quietly along with the lyrics, and the Doctor smiled to himself, holding her hand tighter in his.

"Gladly. All you have to do is ask me. I'm sorry Rose. Sometimes I do get in such a rush. I forget to treasure the little things, little moments like this."

Rose grinned at him, turning to stare at the same time he did,

"That's what you've got me for."

Now they were barely an inch apart, so the Doctor closed the distance between them and kissed her.

Long and sweet, when Rose finally pulled back it was only to catch her breath.

"I might have to do this more often, steal you away. Quiet interludes are very nice with cuddling and kisses."

The Doctor laughed, and he shook the both from the movement,

"I never imagined I'd like that sort of thing, but since it's you ... I do."

Rose snuggled up against him and rested her head against his chest, lulled to sleep by the twin beats of his hearts.

***

**END**


End file.
